The Senate Strikes Back
by Solis Knight
Summary: The adepts who had fought to light the lighthouses must now fight to protect them! Disclaimer: i do not own golden sun. Just saved myself 5 lines of script. COMPLETE. Epilogue may be posted if reviewers request it.
1. Departure

Chapter 1: Departure

Chapter 1: Departure

By: IsaacGaretMia

A dark haired boy stood at the gates of his hometown, a statue surveying the land before him. The dark clouds were gathering above him, the rain splattering down to earth. Thunder could be heard as lightning flashed in the distance. A perfect dreary day for a journey. The boy unclipped a scabbard at his waist, shifting it to his left shoulder. He wanted to be ready for the worst. Where could the others be?

Isaac finished packing his small bag, clipping his Gaia blade to his back, and looked around the room one last time. He grabbed the Cloak ball from his dresser and raced down the stairs. Felix had told him to be prepared, and so he would be. He raced out of the house, not even bothering to comment on the clouds overhead. There was no point in obsessing over things you couldn't change. He arrived at the village gate first, besides Felix. He received naught but a nod in greeting. They stood at the gate, waiting for the others. Apparently, more than a storm was brewing.

Jenna left the house right after Felix, clipping the Burst Brooch to her clothes and racing out of the house to the square. She held her Masamune at her waist, ready for battle. Felix had confided only in her what was going on: Lemuria was about to mobilize for the first time in centuries, and it wasn't going to be a good sign. The senate had finally reached a decision, sending out its powerful military to unlight the lighthouses Jenna and the others had worked so hard to light. She raced down to the town square, arriving just as Isaac had stood next to Felix. They stood there, waiting for the slow and clumsy Garet to arrive. Figures he'd be last.

Garet raced down the steps to the village square, cursing his bulky equipment. The Stealth Armor and Darksword were heavy, and his Cleric's Ring did naught to negate the weight. He finally arrived at the gate, cursing his equipment. Finally, they could begin. They were to travel to Vault first, and then decide what to do from there. Garet sighed, and decided to take off his mail and stow it. It was just going to slow him down more.

Felix led the group at a breakneck pace, urging them on to get to Vault as fast as possible. They had to warn the others as fast as they could. The forest passed by as a blur as they ran, puddles splashing at their feet. Any Vermin that crossed their path received a nice sword to the face for their trouble. They reached Vault in less than an hour, at their pace. Felix decided to inform everyone of what was going on.

"Alright group, let's huddle up. I have something to tell you all."

They all gathered around him, too tired to question him further. They knew all too well that he would release information as he deemed necessary.

"As Jenna already knows, Lemuria's army is mobilizing. Piers had just barely gotten word to us about this, so we're off to protect the lighthouses. We're not sure which one they'll attack first, so we're splitting up to protect each lighthouse based on our element. Garet and Jenna will guard Mars Lighthouse, Isaac and I will guard Venus. Mia will have to fend for herself on top of Mercury, which is the most likely candidate for de-lighting. Sheba and Ivan are going to protect Jupiter, and Ivan has already been informed of this due to Hama. However, Sheba is stuck in Lalivero, which is why we're about to do what we're going to do. Jenna, Garet, you will head through Goma Range, and then head to Imil. You're going to tell Mia what I just told you, and then wait there for a ship. We, are going to head to Lalivero, and tell Sheba what's going on. Piers will pick her up, and they will fly north to Mercury. They'll pick you guys up, and drop you off in Prox. Then, he will drop Sheba off at Jupiter, before heading back to Mercury. We just have to hope that Mercury isn't the first target. If Piers is too late, Mercury is lost. Let's move people!"

Isaac and Felix raced off at that last sentence, travelling lightly as they had the farther distance to go. They headed south, passing Kalay without incident. They then took the northern route through the Kalay Docks, not wishing to waste time heading by boat. They rounded the sea quickly, hoping Garet and Jenna were alright. They raced past Tolbi, heading south to the bridge.

"Oh, come ON!" Felix screamed as he saw that the bridge was up, with noone manning the controls at the other side.

"Relax, Felix. CATCH!"

A ghostly hand dropped upon the controls, lifting a lever that lowered the bridge. Felix calmed down, and they raced off to the desert. He smiled at Isaac, knowing that this would be the easiest place to cross. They reached the desert in another hour, and Isaac was wondering how they would get past without a Mercury Adept. Felix suddenly grabbed onto Isaac as they reached the desert, shouting:

"Sand!"

They melded into the sand, and Isaac marveled at his stupidity. Duh! They headed through the sand, moving slower because of their submersion. They hoped Jenna and Garet were doing as well as they were.

Jenna and Garet stood there, watching Felix and Isaac run off. The nerve of them! She sighed, and grabbed ahold of Garet, pulling him along behind her. They had to get to Goma Range. They ran as fast as they could, with Garet in tow, and reached the Range in an hour. They passed through quickly, and then raced north to get to the next cave. They ran through, not even blinking at the sudden change in temperature. They raced onwards, battling the snow and sleet, and they reached Imil in a few hours time. They ran through the town, looking for the aqua haired Mercury adept, when they bumped into her on accident.

"Mia! Oh, Sol, I'm so happy to see you!"

"Jenna? Garet? What are you two doing here?"

"You're probably not going to believe this. Lemuria has gathered its army, and they're going to attack the lighthouses, we have to protect them!"

"You both came to protect the lighthouse?"

"No, we're here to warn you. Piers is going to pick us up, and take us to Prox. Then he will take Sheba to Jupiter, then race back here. Hopefully, he'll get here before they attack it."

"That's a risky gamble… but I guess it's the best we can do. Let's go!"

They raced down to the water's edge. Mia sat at the shore, and the Mars Adepts sat just behind her. They didn't like the water… it sort of put a damper on their spirits. They waited for a few hours, passing the time wondering what would happen if the lighthouses were unlit, when a ghostly ship came flying through the water. The wings on the boat just made it look more eerie in the frozen waters. It landed a short ways away, and Jenna and Garet waved goodbye to Mia, as they climbed aboard. They could just barely see Mia running towards the lighthouse as they took off again.

"Hey Jenna, Garet. Good to see you guys again!"

"Yeah, you too Sheba. What do you think about the situation?"

"Well, it's good fortune that we have two of each adept at each lighthouse. They'll have a tough time breaching it's walls if they have adepts manning the defenses."

"The lighthouses have defense mechanisms?"

"Don't you remember at Jupiter? When Mia and Garet fell down that hole? Why do you think that hole was there?"

"Um… I assumed it was a trap."

"No, silly! There are several elemental defenses hidden in the lighthouse that can only be activated by adepts. The controls are further down in the hole."

"Oh."

They continued to talk like that, back and forth, until the boat arrived at Prox. They stepped out into the cold again, wondering when Lemuria would show up, and wondering where the defenses were in their own lighthouse.

Earlier, Isaac and Felix had reached their lighthouse, stopping briefly to be recharged by its energies. Then, they raced towards Lalivero to warn Sheba. They ran into town like wolves fleeing fire, and raced towards Faran's house. They pounded on the door, begging someone to open it, when Faran reached the door.

"Ah, Isaac. It's good to see you again. Why have you come back so suddenly?"

"We need to talk to Sheba. It's urgent!"

"Well, okay then. Sheba!"

A blond haired girl reached the door, smiling at the two Venus adepts. They politely asked her to step outside for a second. She obliged, wondering what was going on.

"Sheba, You remember Lemuria, correct?"

"Y-Yes…"

"Remember the Senate? Well, they finally reached a decision. They sent out their military to un-light the lighthouses, and we can't let that happen!"

"Oh… And you want me to protect Jupiter?"

"You're smarter than you look. Which is, of course, genius."

The girl giggled. Just then, a boat arrived at harbor. They raced down, and bade Sheba farewell as she stepped on the boat. When the boat had gone, flying into the storm, they raced out of town. They ran as fast as they could in the rain, reaching the lighthouse again in a matter of hours. They climbed and climbed, reaching the room where the sand fell into an enormous pit, with nothing in the room… Or was there? Felix ran up top, and turned himself into sand again. Deep down into the pit, he reached another room, hidden from the others, where large levers were sticking out of a wall. A mirror to the side of the room showed a view of the front of the lighthouse, as well as the ruins below Lalivero. Isaac called out from the top, seeing Felix reappear deep down.

"Felix, are you alright?"

"Yeah! There's a defense system in here! I'll sit here and man the controls; you head to the top and fight anyone who reaches it!"

"Alright! Be careful!"

"I was born careful, Isaac!"

With that, Isaac was off, racing to the aerie. He wondered who would be first, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, or Mars…

Jenna and Garet ran up the stairs of their lighthouse, reaching the room where they fought the dragon pair. They stopped, wondering what to do.

_You there, Disciples of Mars! If ye wish to protect thy element, show me the might of Blaze!_

Jenna smiled, knowing she had the power the dragon had referred to. Reaching the pedestal where a flame was burning, she focused intently, whispering:

"Blaze…"

The fire burned brightly, as a jet of flame pelted towards the maw of the dragon.

_I am pleased. You may pass._

Jenna ran towards the dragon as it lowered its jaw. She ran inside to find several levers on the side of its mouth. Back toward the dragon's throat, she saw a burning blaze, where the smoke formed pictures of the lighthouse entrance. She smiled, calling out to Garet:

"Garet, Head to the aerie! If anyone tries to take the star, knock 'em out cold!"

"Ok, Jenna. Good luck!"

"You too, Garet. You too." She whispered.

Ivan was waiting for Sheba at the entrance. He ran forward, hugging his friend tightly.

"I knew you'd come, I just knew."

"Do you know what's going on?"

"Only that someone is coming to un-light the beacon."

"Yeah, the Lemurian Senate called the military. They're on their way!"

The pair raced to the lighthouse, reaching the place where Ivan and Isaac had fought Agatio and Karst and lost. Ivan stood on the button, releasing the gate. Sheba hopped down, and she saw a suspicious brick in the wall. She put her hand on it, whispering:

"Reveal…"

She saw, framed in her mind's eye, a button. When she pressed it, the wall melted away, forming a hole wide enough for her to squeeze into. Several levers were framed on the wall in front of her, with a black screen on top. With Reveal, she could see the entire lighthouse, wherever she wanted, framed in the drapes.

"Ivan! Head to the top, and stop ANYONE from taking the star!"

"Ok, Sheba. Good luck!"

"You too Ivan, now GO!"

She smiled, knowing that Ivan would do his best at the top of the aerie. She just hoped that it would be enough.

Mia stood at one of the waterfalls in the lighthouse, knowing that this one was the one. She stood in front of it, whispering:

"Freeze…"

The cold emanating from her hand froze the water completely, stopping it from flowing. With her Crystal Rod, she smashed a small hole for her to worm through. Behind the falls, a small room was there, framed with ice. There was an orb in the center, where she could see the Lighthouse entrance. She could see Piers there too, at the entrance. She shouted at the orb, and somehow he could hear her screaming:

"Piers! Take the aerie, and don't let anyone take the star!"

Piers was startled, but accepted it as another of the lighthouses mysteries. He raced to the top, running through waterfalls, not even bothering to wonder how he knew where to go. The architecture was built a lot like Lemuria was, and as such he raced to the top with no problem. He reached the rainbow, and stopped, wondering what to do. He saw the statue, and ran at it, shouting:

"Ply!"

A faerie appeared, sprinkling the statue with dust. Suddenly, the waterfall seemed to turn around, racing upwards instead of downwards. He rushed at it, allowing it to carry him to the heavens. He raced towards the beacon, and gasped at its beauty. The light from the orb rejuvenated him, reminding him of water's beauty. He stared at it, knowing that he would fight to the death to protect it.

Isaac raced to the beacon, taking a good, long look at the light. He jumped, startled at what he saw. Reflected in the beacon's light, was his companions: Ivan, Garet, and Piers. He saw each of them, ready to protect their beacon. He knew that they could see him too, and he drew his Gaia Blade. Nothing would take this sight away from him. Nothing.


	2. Fall of Venus

Fall of Venus

Fall of Venus

Isaac stood on top of the aerie, looking at all of his friends. Ivan stood at the ready, waving his Trisiphone Edge in mock battles with the air. Garet was standing there, oblivious to the world around him, like normal. Piers was using some sort of psynergy, he couldn't tell with the rain. The dark clouds above him would not relent. He unsheathed the Gaia Blade with a soft rasp, wanting to be ready for anything. He walked up to the edge, and prepared himself. He wondered what the Lemurian Militia would look like…

Suddenly, a boat appeared in the distance… Then another one… An entire fleet of ships, identical to Piers, albeit without wings. They glided towards the shore next to the Lighthouse. Figures, he'd be attacked first. The boats reached the shore, and boards were dropped to the ground, allowing the soldiers to disembark. It was time. He hoped Felix knew what he was doing down there… Suddenly, the ships were impaled with spires erupting from the sea. The lighthouse was showing it's power once again! The soldiers that were not drowning in the sea, ran towards the lighthouse. The soldiers that made it to the door were met with a massive Golem. The soldiers fought valiantly, but one of them escaped while the others were fighting. He looked larger than the rest, somehow. He just knew it was a general of some sort. Isaac ran to the beacon, and thrust the blade of his sword into the light. He pulled a glowing earthen metal blade out of the beacon, saying:

"Bring it on. I'm ready."

After several minutes, a soldier ran up to the aerie, wielding a longsword.

"You do not know what you have done by lighting this beacon. It shall be undone."

"You and what army?"

With that sentence, he ran at his opponent. They began a duel of epic proportions, slashing and blocking with effortless strength. Every time their blades connected, a blast of psynergy emanated from the younger boy's blade. Every blow looked like it went right past the other's sword for a second, before they disengaged and struck again. Isaac slashed his blade over and over but it would do no good, the older man was just too powerful. He tried a different tactic, leaping over the man's head and slashing behind him, but it was blocked with ease. Isaac hopped backwards, shouting:

"Stone Spire!"

A non-adept would have been impaled by the cones of rock, but the other warrior merely leaped neatly over the spires and charged again. They began another series of slashes and parries, the younger man beginning to tire. Another slash, the older warrior parried, and the younger one cried out:

"QUAKE SPHERE!!"

The boy raised his blade, summoning an earthquake that defied logic. The aerie shook and swayed but the other warrior was not fazed. He countered with a psynergy attack of his own, shouting out:

"Glacier!"

Isaac leaped out of the way as an ice tomb crashed down to meet him. He charged again, waving his blade with increasingly complex combo attacks, until the other warrior recovered more quickly than he expected from a thrust, twisting his blade and thrusting it to the floor. He could feel the other man's blade at his throat, one false move and he would die. No! The beacon would not fall!

_RAGNAROK!!_

A glowing blade appeared in his hand, as he thrust the other man's blade from his throat. He picked up the Gaia Blade, and with two swords in hand, they began another deadly dance. Isaac would spin around, thrusting his blades with deadly precision to several areas of the body, but was always met with another solid block of cool steel. He slashed again, and backflipped a few yards away before rushing at the man again, shouting:

"Odyssey!!"

Two Ragnaroks pierced the other man's armor, as Isaac rushed in to deal a finishing blow. He ran in, raising his blade… Then he felt no more. The last thing he could feel before he fell was a hilt of a sword to his temple, and he crumpled. The last thing he saw, was Mia in the cool beacon's light… Fighting for her life. Mia… forgive me.

Felix was at the aerie in time to see Isaac take a blow to the temple. He fell, unconscious. As the dark haired adept unsheathed his blade, he heard Isaac's final words:

"Mia… Forgive me." And then he said no more.

Felix regarded the leader of the militia with a cool stare. He hid his fury behind a mask of unfeeling. As the captain reached out his hand to take the star, Felix acted:

"Not yet, you don't…"

He ran at his opponent, screaming out in his mind: ODYSSEY!! The Ragnaroks pierced his armour, and at the last second he ducked, the hilt of the captain's sword swiping the air where he should have been. The captain flinched, surprised, as Felix kicked him into the air. He leaped after him, shouting out into the pouring rain:

"You won't live to regret killing him."

He didn't need his sword, as he started punching the hell out of the warrior. In midair, the blows rained upon him with devastating force. At the last, Felix spun in the air, landing a kick upon the man's chest with crushing force. They fell to the ground, the other man landing with such force that Felix could see an indent upon the aerie. Still, the man got up again. Felix glared at him, summoning his strength. He shouted out into the darkness:

"RAGNAROK!"

A second blade appeared in his left hand. He charged at him, and they began a different dance. Felix would take one sword on each side, slicing him on the unprotected side. But always, the man would duck or jump. Felix had an idea, spinning about, he screamed:

"Stone Spire!"

Spires whooshed around Felix as he spun. Predictably, the other warrior had leaped into the air. Felix grinned, his plan working perfectly. He shouted again into the din:

"GRAND GAIA!!"

The man was caught in a massive rockslide, becoming more battered and bruised with each passing moment. When the rocks finally settled, he fell to the ground, where he was caught by Felix. He held him up, face to face, grinning at him.

"Game over."

"You lose." The man said. Felix felt a sudden pain in his stomach. Looking down, he saw the man slide the blade cleanly back out of him. The dark haired boy fell to the ground, mortally wounded. The last thing he said, like Isaac, was:

"Sheba… I'm… sorry…" He lay on the ground next to Isaac, his lifeblood pooling on the ground. He… could not stop the star from being stolen. He had… failed.


	3. Fall of Jupiter

Fall of Jupiter

Fall of Jupiter

The rain was pouring from the dark clouds. Ivan stood like a statue, clutching his Tisiphone Edge to his chest. He was seeing a vision. Dark, cold misty ships were converging onto a lighthouse… Only he was seeing it four times. Those scoundrels! They would attack all four at once! He ran to the edge, and saw a small army rushing to the lighthouse. Suddenly, the rain intensified, the water freezing in midair. Some warriors fell to the ground when ice crystals knocked them unconscious. Others were scooped up by a tornado that fell from the sky, seeming to protect the lighthouse. A lone warrior had dodged the defenses, racing towards the lighthouse as fast as he could to escape the maelstrom. He looked at the beacon, and saw Isaac beating the crap out of someone who looked just like him. Ivan readied his sword, waiting for the inevitable. It was not long before the warrior reached the aerie.

"So, you have come."

The warrior did not answer, drawing his sword with one fluid motion.

"I'll give you one more chance before spells start flying."

The warrior advanced, Ivan reacted. Ivan leaped backwards, screaming out:

"Spark Plasma!"

Bolts of lightning speared the ground, and the warrior continued to advance. Ivan blocked blow after blow after him, dodging the ones that were too powerful to block. Ivan used Hover to leap over his head, shouting:

"Tornado!"

A funnel raced towards the ground where the warrior had been. Ivan continued to backtrack, frantically searching for a way to beat this unstoppable warrior. Another few blows, and Ivan was breaking. Ivan leaped backwards again, screaming:

"DESTRUCT RAY!!"

Spears of lightning shocked the warrior, but still he came on. There was nothing more to do, the only thing he had left was out of the question. But it seemed he didn't have a choice. Ivan ran towards the man, wielding the short sword as wildly as he could. The sword moved from one side to the other in the blink of an eye. The warrior could just barely stay ahead of the little man, and Ivan started to scream out:

"SPARK PLASMA! TORNADO! DESTRUCT RAY!!"

The spells seemed to ricochet off of the warrior. Ivan could not stop his advance. He sighed, summoning the last of his strength…

"THOR!!"

The god of thunder descended upon the aerie, zapping the warrior with tons of Jupiter energy. Ivan was spent, falling upon the cold bricks of the aerie. It was over… That was all he could do. The last thing he could think of was:

_Sheba… Don't come. Stay there, he will kill us… Sheba whatever you do, don't die… just don't die._

His eyes closed, and darkness enveloped him.

Sheba raced to the aerie, having watched the man deflect most of Ivan's spells. She couldn't let him die! She reached the aerie, and saw the worst coming:

"THOR!!"

The god of thunder fell upon the aerie, and she took cover. The lightning blast was powerful enough to electrify the air with Jupiter energy. Ivan was strong, and she was impressed. The god was gone, she looked and saw Ivan fall to the floor.

"NO!"

She raced out and flailed wildly with her Meditation Rod, screaming:

"NIRVANA!!"

She sucked the psynergy out of the warrior. Suddenly, it was like a barrier fell away. The rain started to soak the man in front of her. Of course! He had a forcefield! She started shouting out:

"DESTRUCT RAY!!"

Bolts of lightning speared the man in front of her, throwing him backwards. She advanced, flailing with her staff once again. He would be spouting bruises soon, surely. Suddenly, the man started fighting back, slashing out with his sword. She blocked them with her staff, as he started getting stronger and stronger. She yelled out:

"TORNADO!!"

A funnel picked the man up, spinning him out in midair. She started shouting:

"SPARK PLASMA! DESTRUCT RAY!"

Lightning raced into the man over and over, as he fell to the ground. She walked closer, was he dead? Suddenly, she was in the air; gasping for breath. The man had risen and grabbed her by the windpipe. She choked out, barely:

"Catastrophe…"

The earth shimmered around her, as she was released from the man's grasp. A bolt of dark power slammed into the man. She would not make the same mistake twice, screaming:

"Spark Plasma!"

Another bolt. The man shuddered as the shock raced through his body. He was still dangerous, so she decided to back off, heading towards Ivan. He was out cold, perhaps even dying from the loss of psynergy. The beacon wasn't helping at all. She looked into it, and saw Felix battling with the same man! She gazed at the picture in horror, seeing the man pull a blade out of Felix's chest. No! It couldn't be! She looked at the man in her aerie, and saw him getting up again. Well, if she couldn't touch the other man, she would certainly make this one pay. She raced towards him, shouting:

"HOW DARE YOU HURT FELIX!! SPARK PLASMA, SPARK PLASMA, SPARK PLASMA!!"

Bolts of lightning struck down over and over, and yet they would do nothing. He had risen, and was deflecting the bolts with his sword. She stopped racing… perhaps it was better to back off… Too late. She felt the rasp of his sword sliding into her chest. Well… at least she would die with the person she loved… Even die exactly like the person she loved did. She fell to the ground after the blade was removed. She blacked out, but not before saying:

"Felix… Ivan… I don't want to be alone… Please don't leave me. Please… please… Don't… go…"

She lay there, as the man walked up to the beacon. She took one last look at Felix, looking directly into her eyes.

"Sheba… I'm… sorry."

They closed their eyes in unison, their blood pooling onto the aerie. They had failed, but at least they would meet one more time before becoming one with Sol.


	4. Fall of Mars

Fall of Mars

Fall of Mars

The wind was stronger in the frozen wastelands home to Prox and Mars Lighthouse. At the aerie, Garet stood, not being bothered by the rain. Dark clouds had been sending out rain since that morning, never relenting. The boy sighed, becoming bored with the whole affair. Why should he bother to defend up here? Shouldn't he defend the entrance? And besides, they would surely come to him last, right?

"Wrong, dumb boy. Look out!"

He heard Jenna's voice, somehow. He ran to the edge, and saw a sight that shocked him. Below the lighthouse, a fierce dragon was fighting against a blue-haired army. The lemurians! The dragon would not keep all of them out, and several soldiers ran behind the dragon. Unfortunately, that was the Lighthouse's only defense. Garet prepared for the worst, drawing his Darksword. Minutes passed, and he finally heard footfalls at the aerie. As the soldiers reached his position, they were met with a shout and a spell:

"FIREBALL!!"

Balls of flame erupted from the redhead's palm, striking several Lemurians to the ground. The boy then ran forward and stabbed the men in the chest. Only one remained, a taller and stronger man. Garet stared at him, and he could feel his power. Suddenly, he spoke:

"Glacier..."

Garet was almost too late, diving out of the way with only millaseconds to spare as an icy tomb dropped onto the space he had just occupied. Garet charged at the offending soldier, slashing out with his Darksword. Over and over he would throw overhand and side cuts at random, as the other man struggled to block his powerful blows. He was the strongest of the group, and the other warrior fell to his onslaught. He prepared to seal the deal. Gathering his strength, he formed psynergetic energy about his body. He screamed out into the storm:

"LIQUIFIER!!"

His hair burned as if it were on fire. Liquid lava flowed from his palm, richocheting off of the raindrops to impale themselves into the other man's body. Walking forward, Garet screamed out again:

"ACHERON's GRIEF!!"

A dark Ragnarok speared into the fallen warrior, and Garet knew that he would not be getting up again. He walked forward again, intending to gloat over his defeat, when all of his sudden his legs gave out beneath him. The man in front of him was screaming:

"GLACIER!!"

Garet could not defend himself, as the icy tomb fell upon him. He was encased in ice, unable to move or talk. The other warrior would now steal the star, he feared! Suddenly, he felt a burning fire inside of him. He could hear muffled speach outside, and he could almost see flames.

"DRAGON FUME!!"

A dragon melted him from his icy prison, and he fell to the brick floor, shivering. The warrior was now doing battle with Jenna. She was screaming out as she ran to either side:

"FLARE STORM! CYCLE BEAM!!"

Flames licked the other man's body as he ran to avoid the onslaught of fire. Little did Jenna know, he was leading her into a trap. Every few steps, the man would scream out:

"ICE MISSILE!!"

Soon, Jenna was surrounded with spears of ice. Her new cage locked her in with the warrior. She still retained the same glint of determination in her eyes, as she steeled herself for a great spell:

"METEOR!!"

Her djinn were called forth, four glowing balls of mars energy in the darkness. A glowing orange mass could be seen in the sky, and Jenna smiled. This was going to be cake. She shielded herself from the blast, as the other man fell to the Meteor. She began to walk forward to gloat, when she heard a voice behind her:

"Don't Jenna, IT'S A TRAP!!"

Just in time, she leaped back as the man stabbed the air where she had been. She was furious, and she shouted:

"DRAGON FUME!!"

A fiery dragon speared the man again. But it seemed to do nothing, as he started to advance.

"DRAGON FUME!! DRAGON FUME!! ... DRAGON FUME!!"

Over and over the dragon scorched her foe, until he was right on top of her, running her through with his blade. She could feel the cold hard steel slide through her body with a nice 'schick'. She fell to the ground, one word on her lips:

"Garet..."

Jenna lay on the aerie, her blood pooling to the ground. She hoped Garet would get the message to flee, if one of them had to die, she didn't want both of them to. With darkness falling upon her, only one thing registered in her mind: They had failed.


	5. Fall of Mercury

Fall of Mercury

Fall of Mercury

Piers stood next to the beacon, drawing his Excalibur with a flourish. If he knew his country at all, he would know that they attack on multiple fronts at a time. They would undoubtedly attack soon, he was sure of it. He was surprised when a girl with hair as deep a shade of blue as his came walking up to the aerie. Why had she abandoned the control post?

"Mia?"

"Look sharp, the battle has begun." She said with a gesture towards the edge. Piers rushed to the ledge to find ice spikes impaling themselves into the chests of lemurian soldiers. Piers shed a tear for the soldiers, for he had known most of them. Mia put a hand on his shoulder, doubtlessly intended to comfort him. But there was no comfort in his eyes. He was determined to see this through. Mentally, he cursed Lord Conservato for ordering this needless bloodshed. Another bout of screaming could be heard below, as an ice dragon materialized from the snow. Several lemurian soldiers were fighting it, as their leader cowardly ran past it, doubtlessly trying to grab the glory of the star for himself. He leveled Excalibur at one of the two entrances to the aerie. Doubtless, the general would arrive here soon. He was not known to be weak, nor slow.

"Mia, stand back. The General is not to be underestimated."

The girl stood back, close to the beacon. Of course, if push came to shove Piers would be unable to protect her. Noone could best the General in single combat. His friends were doubtlessly falling as he stood there. Mia confirmed this for him, of course.

"Oh my god!! ISAAC!!"

"You can't help him, Mia… Noone can."

Mia fell to her knees, crying uncontrollably at the sight of Isaac's unconsciousness. The moment was broken when the General reached the aerie.

"General."

"Ah, Piers the Lost One. A pleasure to see you again. How did you beat me to the aerie?"

"I've been here, sir. I've come to stop you."

"Ah, an unfortunate circumstance. Nevertheless, you must die for going against orders."

Without hesitation, the General drew and leveled his blade to Pier's own. They began the relentless dance of Mortal Combat. Their steel carved an intricate web in the frigid air. Piers could barely see in the darkness, as he blindly blocked the General's every move. He had had the good fortune to have trained with him as a child. Over and over their blades met and disconnected. As the battle raged on, Piers was aware of a girl at the sidelines. Mia!

"MIA! RUN!!"

The girl just stood there, anger flashing through her eyes. Piers saw her glow with psynergy, as she shouted:

"ICE MISSILE! DIE YOU EVIL- AAUGH! GLACIER!!"

Piers had to duck as shards of razor sharp ice shot at the General. Surprisingly, they hit him square in the chest. He stumbled backwards, surprised, as another block of ice fell from the sky. He was encased in an ice tomb. Piers charged, slamming Excalibur into the man's chest. Of course, the General would not be beaten that easily. An ice block stopped his blade in mid-stab. As he struggled to remove his blade, the General broke free of his prison. They began the dance again, swinging their swords over and over again. Neither would back down, and neither could win. Mia stood by all the while, shouting spells which just made Piers' job harder. He had to duck every time she threw an Ice Missile, leap back every time she dropped a Glacier, and see through the sparks of psynergy healing him as she cast Ply or Wish. Piers grew tired as the battle progressed, but he could not stop. The fate of the world depended on it. Suddenly, she saw Mia move out of the corner of his eye. She knew what she was going to do, and started pushing the General back. Blow after blow, the warrior stepped back. Finally, Mia was right behind him. He stopped pushing him back, and the two water adepts shouted in unison:

"DIAMOND BERG!!"

The man was encased in ice twofold, as the adepts relentlessly slammed their weapons into him. The General fell to the ground, mortally wounded. Suddenly, Piers felt a cold sensation in his chest. He looked down to see the General's sword in his chest. He fell to the ground, as the General removed his blade. It was all up to Mia now…

Mia stood there, watching the man who had just been hit with two simultaneous Diamond Bergs stab Piers in the chest. She screamed with rage, as her staff glowed. The warrior would pay!! Over and over, ice shards would slam into the man in front of her. He seemed able to take anything that she threw at him however. She fell into despair. How could she win? Nothing could stop this behemoth… Her djinn were prepared for the worst, as Mia resorted to her last ditch effort. She screamed out:

"AZUL!!"

The great water dragon from the deep rose from the sea, snaking up to the top of the lighthouse to bestow terrible punishment upon its summoner's foe. The man was weakened as Mia fell to the aerie bricks, utterly exhausted. Her most powerful attacks were as nothing to the General. Azul was a mere puppy compared to his might. Darkness took her, as she joined the blond haired boy at Venus lighthouse in unconsciousness. Their duties had not been fulfilled. All eight adepts had failed to stop the onslaught. The beacons would be unlit, and the world would fall into dormancy again. It was over.


	6. The Last Stand

The Last Stand

The Last Stand

Isaac awoke to find a blade running through Felix's chest. Felix had been beaten!

"Sheba… I'm… sorry…"

"Felix!!"

Isaac shouted to him, but to no avail. Felix was out cold. The warrior had heard Isaac's shout, and was now turning to finish him off, too. Tendrils of psynergy pulsed from Isaac's fingertips as he prepared a Potent Cure. That should keep him alive long enough for the beacon to revive him. A blade found its way to Isaac's face, and with his own, he pushed it off. This just got personal. In a heartbeat, the blond boy had risen and knocked the other man's blade out of his hand. In a series of swift and precise movements, he kicked him forward, sped to the spot where he would land, kicked him to the sky, and launched himself to the heavens. Here, he would make the man pay for his insolence.

"RAGNAROK… RAGNAROK!!"

With each spell, one of his hands flourished to the ground, as a earthen blade appeared in it. He would finally get revenge.

"ODYSSEY!!"

In midair, magical blades pierced the other man's armour. Isaac propelled himself forward with a burst of Venus energy. He raised his blades, and sank them both into the man's chest as another giant blade crashed into the man's upper torso. The explosion of the last blade sent Isaac crashing to the aerie below, but the other man was not so lucky. Isaac could see the blood dripping off of the man as he missed the aerie entirely, falling to the sea below. Isaac knew somehow that the man would not survive in the ocean, if he even managed to survive the fall. Behind him, Felix awoke. Isaac turned as Felix walked over to the beacon, and knelt before it. A soundless voice was heard on top of Venus lighthouse.

Ivan awoke as Sheba fell to the man's blade. The beacon had recharged his energies slightly, in time to see the blade removed from Sheba's chest. Silently, he cursed the man, for Ivan knew no arts to save his friend. Rage flooded through his body, coursing through previously unknown channels. His brain processed the information, forming oaths of revenge against the man walking up to the beacon.

"YOU… SHALL… PAY!!"

His hand shot out, releasing a bolt of plasma directly into the man's chest. He would not stop there. The bolt did not dissipate, growing stronger every second as Ivan bodily lifted the man with the beam. Ivan summoned all of his rage and sent it coursing through one word:

"CATASTROPHE!!"

The bolt would remain as Ivan's surroundings shimmered and changed. Bolts of dark energy would join Ivan's plasma, draining the essence of his soul through the powerful blast. The man was dead, Ivan knew it. But he would not stop. He was out for revenge. From more unknown recesses of power, Ivan drew enormous psynergy into another spell.

"DESTRUCT RAY!!"

Bolts of lightning joined the plasma from his other hand. The man was becoming charred to a crisp, and Ivan still was not satisfied. The man would feel the cold hard shock of a thousand-foot fall from the aerie! Ivan walked closer to the lifeless man before him, as the bolts intensified. He drew back his foot, willing the bolts to intensify. A sudden blast from his fingertips, a thrust from his foot into the man before him, and the man was sent flying off of the lighthouse. Ivan watched as his body flew until it reached the sea, thousands of miles away. Ivan sank to his knees, weeping for the loss of his friend. He had no way to save her, no way to stop her lifeblood from spilling to the bricks of the aerie as her heart slowly and surely killed her.

Garet watched as the warrior pulled the blade out from Jenna. His vision blurred with rage as he let her fall to the ground without a care. His raged surged through his body, igniting a flame within him that would engulf his entire body.

"LIQUIFIER!!"

A torrential downpour of liquid magma rained down upon the man, engulfing him with searing heat. Garet drew his Darksword, and shouted out again:

"ACHERON'S GRIEF!!"

A dark Ragnarok slammed into the man, knocking him backwards as the blade exploded inside his chest. Still, Garet was not done with his revenge. He raced towards the man who was unable to defend himself, shouting:

"FIREBALL!! PYROCLASM!!"

Balls of fire pulsed from his outstretched hand, racing outwards towards the man who was engulfed in a pyroclasmic series of eruptions below him. Garet would not be pleased until the man was scorched off the face of the earth!! Running at him again, Garet kicked him into the air, sending another eruption after him. When the man was airborne, Garet leaped after him, sending fireballs after him to keep him there. The man would feel what it was like down Gaia Falls when he was done with him! Spinning in mid air, flames spun about him, forming a cocoon around him. He slowed down, as the flame cocoon absorbed itself into his system, charging a final kick into the man that would send him flying for thousands of miles down Gaia Falls. Garet landed back onto the aerie with a sickening crunch as bricks cracked beneath his weight. He ran over to where Jenna was dying, grasping her hand in his. Summoning more strength than he knew he possessed, he coursed bolt after bolt of his own power into Jenna, activating the unseen healing powers of the Mars clan. A cool aura of psynergy engulfed her body, as Garet supplied as much power as he could muster to fuel the spell. Her injuries shrank until they disappeared, and before he fainted from the loss of psynergy, he could see Jenna open her eyes. Garet fell to the side, so as to avoid crushing the girl he had just saved.

The man walked up to Mia with slow, precise steps. It would all be over soon, she thought. He would stab her, letting her blood spill across the bricks of the aerie. He would walk over and take the star, sending the world into a dormancy that would ultimately destroy it. All because of her. Suddenly, the man stopped, and Mia could see a blade sprouting from one of his shoulders. The man turned around to find Piers with a hand over his chest, Plying the wounds away. The General began another dance with Piers, sending his blade crashing into his over and over again. Mia found the strength to stand again, as the beacon restored her psynergy. She joined in the fight, sending razor sharp shards of ice at the man again and again. With every blast of ice, the man would shudder in pain. Piers continued to block and dodge his attacks, waiting for Mia to get behind the man again for one final attack. Piers stood just in front of the beacon, the General in front of him, and Mia behind the General.

"General, it's over. You can't win."

"I know, my boy. How ever did you grow so powerful?"

"Come on, General, I can't stay the same good natured weak boy you knew forever, now can I?"

"I guess not, Piers the Lost One." He replied weakly, his injuries finally kicking in.

"DIAMOND BERG!!"

A voice rang out from in front and behind the General. He was encased in blocks of ice, as Mia and Piers combined their psynergy to form a powerful attack. He was stabbed from the front and the back at once, and he found himself on the ground, blood pooling onto the aerie.

"Let's throw him into the sea. I'd like to tidy things up here."

"Good idea."

Piers lifted the man up, as Mia prepared an Ice Missile. Shards of ice propelled themselves into the dead man, sending him flying off the aerie into the sea below.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish."

Piers walked to the edge of the aerie again, seeing the lemurian soldiers littering the ground with corpses. The battle had not gone well for them. They had expected their General to deactivate the beacon, sending their foe into dormancy. Unluckily for them, their leader had failed them. Behind him, Mia was gazing into the beacon, seeing scenes of horror in the reflection. Piers walked behind her, and gasped at the sight. In one scene, he saw Garet fainted beside Jenna, who was trying to wake him up with little success. In another, he saw Ivan weeping beside Sheba, whose blood was pooling next to her. In the last reflection, he saw Isaac next to Felix, kneeling down in front of them.

Isaac heard a soundless voice pierce the aerie, and he just knew it was Felix. He watched as the horror scene played out in front of him, complete with its own soundtrack.

_Lord Venus of the Earth, I beseech thee. I have sworn to protect Sheba, Child of the Gods from Lalivero. I have failed her… As I cannot protect her from so far away, as her blood pools upon another aerie. I submit myself to thee, sacrificing myself to you to plead that you grant mercy upon her, and save her from death. Lord Venus of the Earth, I am yours._

With those last words, Isaac saw a beam of light emanate from the beacon, embedding itself into Felix's chest. Felix rose from kneeling position into the air, as a golden light engulfed his body. Isaac watched as the golden light pulsed, and travelled down the beam of light into the beacon. As the glow faded from his body, Felix fell to the ground, utterly spent. The beam returned into the beacon, heading to who knows where. Isaac ran to Felix, and summoned up his energies to cure him. Pulses of psynergy travelled down his arm, healing Felix's body.

Felix awoke to Isaac kneeling over him, his hand on Felix's chest. He coughed weakly, and asked Isaac in a shaky voice:

"What are you doing, Isaac?"

"I'm healing you, Felix. Can't you see that?"

"You are? No… There's no psynergy about you…"

"Yes there is… wait… It can't be!"

Felix felt weak all over, and the truth crushed him. He had offered himself to Venus, and Venus had responded. A Venus adept, Felix was no longer. He had given up the one thing he could to save the one he loved. Felix had no regrets, as he faded into unconsciousness.

Ivan snapped out of his crying to find Sheba hanging on to her last seconds of life.

"Ivan… Are you there?"

"Sheba… I'm here… I… You… You cannot be saved, Sheba."

"I know, Ivan… Thank you for being here for me."

"I'm… sorry, Sheba…"

Ivan broke down and started to cry again. It wasn't fair! She can't be gone… not like this! Not by some coward, stabbing her like that! No… The tears spilled from his eyes, mixing with the blood pooled next to Sheba. She can't be gone… She just can't!!

That was when he noticed it. A single, golden beam of light was emanating from the beacon. He watched, as the beam solidified, and earthen psynergy poured into Sheba. Slowly, her wounds closed, and her blood was replaced. Ivan looked to the sky, offering thanks to any god at all that had saved Sheba. An earthen voice rang out to the pair:

_Felix has paid the ultimate price for your life Sheba. You may never see him again, but know that he thought of you with his last breath._

Ivan looked at the beacon, and saw Felix kneeling there, his body disintegrating into sand, and swept away by the wind.

Isaac felt Felix move again, as he got up. Felix walked over to the aerie again, and this time he did not hear Felix's last words. In seconds, his body disintegrated into sand, and was swept away by the breeze into the beacon. Isaac knew, that he had given himself up for Sheba. The blond boy fell to his knees, as he realized he would never see the other man again.


	7. The Mourning After

The Mourning After

The Mourning After

Isaac knelt by the beacon, unable to move. Felix had just disappeared before his very eyes… His childhood friend was lost forever. Even when Ivan and Piers came up to check on him, he could not move. He could not speak, could not sleep, and could not even eat when they dragged him back to the ship. Piers and Mia had travelled to the other lighthouses and picked everyone up on the boat. When they got to Venus, everyone was surprised to find only one Venus adept on the lighthouse. Well, everyone except Ivan. He had seen through his own beacon the tragic events that had taken place. For a time, Isaac was inconsolable. However, that is nothing compared to how Sheba felt. When Isaac told everyone that Felix had disappeared, Sheba had shut herself into her cabin, and noone would be allowed in. When Ivan had come to check on her, he could hear sobs coming from the room. Ivan could not bear to tell her what had happened on top of the aerie. He felt it would only make Felix's passing more mournful to her. Of course, the others had work to do around the ship, but Ivan would sit outside Sheba's room all day, trying to console her. On the third day, Ivan decided to get her some food, as she must have been starving. Ivan ran to the kitchen, got some fruit and water, and came back. The door was locked, of course, so he placed a hand on the knob and whispered:

"_Whirlwind…"_

A tiny cyclone within the locking mechanism twisted the lock into the unlocked position. Ivan opened the door to find Sheba on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She did not move as Ivan entered the room.

"Ivan…"

"Sheba?"

"Why did Felix… Why did he go?"

"He… It… It was his time to go, Sheba."

"Why? WHO DECIDES WHETHER PEOPLE CAN LIVE OR DIE, IVAN?"

Ivan flinched at Sheba's words. She was obviously distressed to the maximum amount anyone can, and then some. Felix's passing had definitely shocked her to the core of her character.

"Sheba… None of us can tell when someone will go… It is the life of Felix that we should be celebrating, not his death that we should be mourning."

"Ivan… go away. I don't want to talk about it."

"Sheba. You need to eat. Promise me that if I go, you will eat the fruit and drink the water."

She was silent, and Ivan sighed. He placed the tray next to her, just in case her silence meant yes. No matter how Sheba was acting now, Ivan did not curse Felix's decision, for if he had not sacrificed himself, Sheba would be gone. He sat back down in front of Sheba's door. He would wait as long as it took to make Sheba see sense. Was this, the only way, Felix?

Felix woke up on solid earth. It was not a cave, as he was lying on a bed of grass growing out of the soil. There were trees, life everywhere, but no animals. Felix was alone in his small, new world.

"Or so you may think, Felix."

Felix was not startled, as the voice sounded right at home in the setting. Felix felt more like a trespasser in this paradise, rather than a guest. Felix groaned in agony as nine balls of golden light detached themselves from his subconscious. He felt weak on the ground, like he could not stand up.

"That is alright, child. You are no longer connected to the world, and that is why you feel no strength. That was a brave thing you did, Felix."

He lay there, as a giant Venus Djinni walked up to him.

"I see you have befriended my children, the Earth djinn, in your travels. They are my children, the embodiment of my power."

"Lord… Venus?"

"That is correct, and I am not a Djinni."

Felix groaned again, this was getting a little complicated.

"It is quite simple, my former Venus adept. You offered yourself to me to ensure the girl's heath and safety."

He remembered kneeling down in front of the aerie, and offering his prayer. He sat up, ignoring the protest of his muscles. He accepted the fact that he would never see her again the moment he said the prayer.

"That is a fine thing, loyalty. Showing it may mean sacrificing everything you own to the person you care for. As such, you showed loyalty to your clan by offering yourself to me, and loyalty to the girl for giving up your life to save her. That is no mean feat, as the courage required is not possessed by any else in Weyard."

"That is all well and good, Lord Venus, and as I am now your servant, I must ask you. What is your will?"

The Venus Lord chuckled, as his children fell off of him as he shook. His children were devilishly playful, it seems.

"My will? Servant? My good boy, I would see you rewarded for your valor! Not punished into slavery!"

"I do not understand… You brought me here, I'm not in Weyard anymore… What is going on?"

"I have decided to grant mercy upon you, boy. You do not have the luxury of being granted a piece of the Golden Sun, like your friend Isaac. You possess more courage than he, as he was unknowingly granted power from the start of his journey. You, have earned your rite."

With that last sentence, Felix was lifted into the air by a beam of Venus energy. His arms and legs went limp, as power rushed into his body. Golden light radiated off of every pore of his skin, as the light radiated outward through his body, to the very tip of his fingers. His mind opened once again, and he could feel the Venus energy of his surroundings like it was an extension of his own body.

"Young lad, you are being granted one final wish. You may ask of me one thing that I can grant, and I shall grant it. Your body has already been restored with the power you lost when you saved the girl. In fact, you have been granted powers no others of your clan possess! So, what is YOUR will, my lad?"

"Lord Venus of the Earth… I wish that I could live my life in Weyard again, so that I may protect Sheba again. I will never leave her side again, my Lord."

"Ah, as I thought. You really care for this girl, do you not?"

"She is my reason for being. If she was lost, I would cease to exist on your Earth."

"And that is how you know you're alive, my boy! These feelings… Don't lose them."

The djinn hopped back on top of Felix, and he felt a surge of strength as they melded their strength with his. He stood up, feeling the power of the earth in the air, as the Venus Lord took one last look at him.

"GAIA KINGDOM!!"

The massive Earth Lord opened a rift in the earth, and Felix fell through his domain back to the world where he lost everything. He would keep an eye on this boy. One day… he may become, a hero.

Felix did not awake for several minutes upon his arrival back to Weyard. He materialized on the ship, where his friends found him. Jenna took one look at the dark haired boy on deck, and started screaming:

"OH MY SOL IT'S FELIX'S GHOST!! FELIX!!"

Of course, she fainted soon thereafter. Felix's body was then discovered by Piers and Mia, as Garet was sleeping, Isaac was still traumatized in his room, and Ivan was outside Sheba's room where she was still staring at the ceiling. They carried him back to his vacant room, plopped him on the bed, and split up to tell the others. Piers ran to Isaac's room with due haste, and shocked Isaac so much that Isaac ran him over when he heard the news. Of course, he had to see it with his own eyes. There Felix was, on his bed sleeping like nothing had ever happened. Isaac fell to the ground, weeping with joy that his friend was returned to him. Isaac thanked all gods, known and unknown, that would see Felix returned to them. Mia was outside Sheba's room, whispering in Ivan's ear. Ivan just sat there, immobile. Mia sighed, and opened the door.

"What…?"

"Sheba. Felix is alive."

"What?!"

"He's in his room, right now."

Mia, like Piers, was trampled over Sheba's scrawny legs as she ran out of the room to find Felix. Sheba reached Felix's room in the blink of an eye, where she proceeded to trample over Isaac, who fell unconscious due to Sheba's strength. Sheba kicked Isaac out of the room, (literally…) locked the door, and ran over to Felix's limp form. She cried her heart out on his chest, and would not stop until Felix finally woke up.

"… Sheba?"

"FELIX!! YOU'RE ALIVE!!"

"Sheba, ow! You're killing my ears!"

"FEEEELLIIIIIIIIX!!" Sheba was screaming now.

"Sheba! I'm okay! Calm down!"

She would not calm down, proceeding to put his neck into a hug so tight he thought his neck would never recover.

"I thought you were gone… I thought I'd never see you again…"

"So did I, Sheba."

"WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME, FELIX?!"

"Ivan didn't tell you? He was there on the aerie when it happened… In fact, you probably could have gotten most of the story from Isaac and Ivan combined without me telling you a thing."

Sheba stopped crying, with a look of pure malice on her face that Felix had never seen before. Whoops… maybe he shouldn't have said that.

"Sheba, you want to know what happened?"

She nodded. Felix sighed, and recounted the events on the aerie, skipping the part with the Venus lord. He had a feeling that that was sacred knowledge for only his clan to know. Sheba went through the whole range of emotions during the story: Anger, grief, sorrow, shock, happiness, wonderment, and relief. Felix thought it best to let the rest of the group know he was alive, when the door started banging.

"SHEBA! FELIX! LET US IN!!"

"How in SOL do they know I'm here?"

"As far as I know, you appeared on deck. Someone must have carried you here."

Felix held out his hand, forming tendrils of Venus psynergy. The door clicked, and six angry adepts burst through the open door.

"WHO LOCKED THE DOOR?!"

Sheba sat up and shouted:

"I DID. IVAN! GET OVER HERE!"

Ivan made his way to the front of the group, looking frightened for his life.

"ISAAC! YOU TOO!"

Isaac also did, looking slightly less afraid. Just barely, though. Sheba then began to rant on how they should have told her what Felix was doing, instead of letting her believe that Felix disappeared off of the face of Weyard for no apparent reason. Ivan cringed, and stayed in that facial expression for the entire rant. Isaac was cowering in fear in front of the enraged Jupiter adept. By the end of the rant, Sheba was about ready to grab each adept by the neck and strangle them. Felix was just barely able to hold her back, shouting:

"SHEBA! THAT'S ENOUGH!!"

"NO IT'S NOT, THEY MADE ME THINK YOU WERE GONE FOR NOTHING!!"

Felix stopped, and made a decision. Felix sat her down, put his body between her and her victims, and told them quietly:

"I would leave the room if I were you, guys."

The boys didn't need to be told twice. Felix could see the floorboards smoking from their frantic escape. Piers, Jenna, Mia, and Garet remained. Felix was forced to tell his tale three times to the group, before they would let him have some time alone with Sheba.

"So… you were really worried about me?"

"I haven't eaten… I haven't slept… I haven't moved from my bed for three days. Three whole days without you, Felix. I thought I would never know happiness again."

"It's okay, Sheba. I'm here. You'll never need to know sorrow again."

Felix put his hand on hers, and held it there. Felix looked into the blond haired Jupiter adept next to him, and decided that he would spend the rest of his life with her. Sheba took his hand, as they leaned in…

"Uh… Guys?"

Ivan stood in the doorway, looking ashamed. Felix and Sheba pulled back, and looked at Ivan with annoyance.

"I just wanted to say… Sheba, I'm sorry. I just felt that you would have been worse off knowing the truth. And Felix… Welcome back."

Ivan walked away, leaving the couple to ponder his words. Sheba looked ready to tear his head off. Felix calmed her down, saying he was probably right. Sheba lay back down on the bed, feeling slightly better. Felix left her to sleep, wanting to find Isaac. After searching the ship, he realized that he must be avoiding him. Felix pulsed with psynergy, searching the organic wood for stress indicating the presence of weight. In the cargo hold, he felt the boxes as well. The cargo hold was empty. Sheba was sleeping in his room… Jenna was in hers, everyone except Piers was in their rooms. Piers was at the helm… and someone was in the crow's nest. Felix ran to the ladder, and climbed it with speed. When he reached the top, he found Isaac on the floor of the basket, his head in his hands. Felix sat next to him.

"Something wrong?"

"How are you alive, Felix? I saw you… You disappeared into the beacon… How…"

"Isaac… I sacrificed myself so that Sheba would live."

"I KNOW THAT! HOW ARE YOU HERE NOW THOUGH?!"

Felix flinched, Isaac was still in shock.

"Isaac… I saw Lord Venus."

Isaac stared at him. Felix recounted the events in the earthen haven, where he met the Venus Lord who sent him back. Upon finishing his tale, Isaac was in more shock than usual.

"Isaac, I have a feeling that this is sacred knowledge to Venus adepts. That's why I haven't told any of the others. Keep it a secret, okay?"

Isaac nodded. Felix wasn't convinced.

"Isaac. I'm alive, I'm right here next to you. I am telling you, keep this conversation a secret. Say it with me."

"Okay, Felix. I will keep it a secret."

Felix smiled for the first time since he woke up. He climbed back down, heading back to his room. He didn't see anyone else on the way. He opened the door to his room to find Sheba asleep on the bed. He sighed, and started to prepare a blanket for himself on the floor. It wouldn't be much worse than the bed anyway. He felt a hand on his arm in the middle of preparing a bed. In her sleep, Sheba was holding on to him. Felix put his hand on hers, comforting her in her dream. He lay down next to her, intending to stay as close to her as possible when she woke up.

"Felix… why are you sleeping on the floor?"

"Well… You're on the bed."

"There's room for two."

Felix froze… Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Sheba had a mischievous grin on her face, and it seemed to say: You heard me. Get in here. Felix put on the shirt that he slept in, and got in right next to Sheba.

"Felix?"

"Yeah, Sheba?"

"Thanks. Thanks for coming back to me."

Felix leaned in, and kissed her on the lips. That night, they slept better than either had in years.


End file.
